Innverse Stats

Chapter	Text
6.15 K	“Salii. Is there something you need of me?”
6.15 K	He gestured at his bare chest and the loose pants he wore. They were worn and Salii eyed them with clear dismay.
6.15 K	Orjin sighed. He looked down at Salii and saw some of the sun’s light shining off her dusty, brown scales. She was a Drake, a rarity in Chandrar. She was also a [Secretary], or some class similar to that. If she was asking, it meant something was happening that required Orjin’s presence.
6.15 K	Orjin said that as a certainty. If that had been the case, Salii would have told him already. She shook her head, looking peeved as she saw him flip. One hand was suddenly supporting him as he held perfectly still, balancing upright. It was an impressive physical feat, but even Orjin couldn’t maintain it for more than a second. Then he lost his balance and the tower of rocks came falling down. So did he, but he turned and landed neatly on the ground. Salii stepped back as the rocks fell around her. She swished her tail.
6.15 K	Orjin said that as a certainty. If that had been the case, Salii would have told him already. She shook her head, looking peeved as she saw him flip. One hand was suddenly supporting him as he held perfectly still, balancing upright. It was an impressive physical feat, but even Orjin couldn’t maintain it for more than a second. Then he lost his balance and the tower of rocks came falling down. So did he, but he turned and landed neatly on the ground. Salii stepped back as the rocks fell around her. She swished her tail.
6.15 K	The man sat on the ground, sighing. Salii sat with him, and he looked at her, attentive, if not quite happy. He was no [King], or ruler in the sense of having a class. Perhaps he should have one, but Orjin of Pomle had no desire to be a leader. The fact that he was one was purely coincidental and had no bearing on how he lived his life. Most of the time, that was.
6.15 K	Salii repeated the bare bones of Flos’ declaration to Orjin. When she had finished, he shook his head.
6.15 K	The [Martial Artist], the warrior, folded his arms. Salii looked exasperated.
6.15 K	Orjin sighed louder. Of course, he’d suspected that would be the case. He thought about refusing, or walking off. Salii couldn’t stop him if he did, but…she was Salii.
6.15 K	Orjin sighed louder. Of course, he’d suspected that would be the case. He thought about refusing, or walking off. Salii couldn’t stop him if he did, but…she was Salii.
6.15 K	No one regulated them. Or at least, no one actively made the people pay taxes or follow any rules. Troublemakers were dealt with. Murder and crime were also not tolerated; Pomle’s warriors would take matters into their own hands. Only two things held any sway over Pomle. That was the tradition of the Strongest, and Salii.
6.15 K	One of those obligations was listening to Salii. No one could quite remember when she’d appeared. It had to be five years ago? At least. But one day she’d shown up and started ordering people about. And they had listened mostly, because she had good ideas. Like how to settle quarrels over bathing. Organizing a place for children to play where adults wouldn’t accidentally intrude. Even convincing a [Mage] to draw some runes of preservation so food could be stored.
6.15 K	Things like that. Orjin hadn’t questioned Salii at first, and she’d gotten him to do any number of tasks he wouldn’t normally, from sorting out troublemakers to quelling monsters. He didn’t mind that; monster fighting was good practice. But sometimes she had requests like these.
6.15 K	He stood up. Salii watched him leap over the collapsed pile of rocks, and run towards a tall plateau of orange-red rock that defined Pomle’s geography. Orjin wasn’t long; he moved fast and before more than two minutes had passed he was running past, with a more formal skirt made of bright, colored cotton, and a loose cape of some kind of animal or monster hide. He still had no clothing on his upper body, though.
6.15 K	Orjin nodded. He walked across the bare, cracked earth with Salii. She was fully clothed and wore shoes; he did not. He was barefoot, but he didn’t feel the heat radiating up from the ground. Nor did he sweat as much as the Drake. The two headed towards a distant spot where a small stand of trees had grown up, and water gathered.
6.15 K	The Strongest of Pomle and the [Secretary] of Pomle set a quick pace at first, but it slowed when it became clear that their definition of ‘quick’ varied. It wasn’t that Salii was out of shape; she had lived in Pomle and that was a harsh lifestyle at times. But Orjin was just too quick. He slowed to a crawl as she huffed and caught up to him, jogging. Orjin waited for Salii to catch her breath and then spoke.
6.15 K	The Strongest of Pomle and the [Secretary] of Pomle set a quick pace at first, but it slowed when it became clear that their definition of ‘quick’ varied. It wasn’t that Salii was out of shape; she had lived in Pomle and that was a harsh lifestyle at times. But Orjin was just too quick. He slowed to a crawl as she huffed and caught up to him, jogging. Orjin waited for Salii to catch her breath and then spoke.
6.15 K	“I have never asked it, Salii, but what brought you to Pomle?”
6.15 K	It had been five years since he’d known her and this was the first question he’d really asked beyond her name and what she did. Salii glanced up at him, surprised. The Drake swished her tail and shrugged. She consulted her little sheet of parchment secured to the clipboard of wood as she spoke. It was one of the things she always carried with her.
6.15 K	Orjin saw them. Two dozen riders, looking for a place to tie up their mounts. And that was just the main group. It looked like a small group of richly-dressed folk—the [King] and [Queen] perhaps, and a son—along with some courtiers. Behind them were a double-row of soldiers riding camels. They were trying to eye the other guests at the watering ground and shot Orjin and Salii a distrustful glance as they approached.
6.15 K	Salii slapped the [Knight] over the head as he jerked back. He tried to grab his sword, but the [Secretary] dealt him two more swift blows to the head with the edge of her clipboard. She was quick, and Orjin stopped to admire her technique. Before the [Knight] could draw his blade or his comrades interfere, Salii was shouting at him.
6.15 K	Salii slapped the [Knight] over the head as he jerked back. He tried to grab his sword, but the [Secretary] dealt him two more swift blows to the head with the edge of her clipboard. She was quick, and Orjin stopped to admire her technique. Before the [Knight] could draw his blade or his comrades interfere, Salii was shouting at him.
6.15 K	The [Knight] at the watering hole jerked his head around. He scowled at Salii.
6.15 K	He pointed at Orjin, who was looking around, surveying the other two camps. Nobles, retainers, servants—they were making a mess as they set up everywhere. He felt disgusted; normally he’d let any caravan go through Pomle and just stay far away, but he had to be here for this? On the other hand he saw what Salii meant. All three nations had brought warriors, escorts, and they would be a hard fight to put down for most of Pomle’s warriors if they started one.
6.15 K	Salii was shouting at the [Knights], waving her clipboard in the leader’s face. He stared at Orjin, glancing at the man’s bare chest and his skirt made of cotton. Orjin thought it was a wonderfully colored thing, but he glanced to one side and saw a group of what might have been nobles in rich silk attire staring at him. Orjin returned the look blankly, and then saw someone push the tent flaps back.

“Salii. Is there something you need of me?”

He gestured at his bare chest and the loose pants he wore. They were worn and Salii eyed them with clear dismay.

Orjin sighed. He looked down at Salii and saw some of the sun’s light shining off her dusty, brown scales. She was a Drake, a rarity in Chandrar. She was also a [Secretary], or some class similar to that. If she was asking, it meant something was happening that required Orjin’s presence.

6.15 K

Orjin said that as a certainty. If that had been the case, Salii would have told him already. She shook her head, looking peeved as she saw him flip. One hand was suddenly supporting him as he held perfectly still, balancing upright. It was an impressive physical feat, but even Orjin couldn’t maintain it for more than a second. Then he lost his balance and the tower of rocks came falling down. So did he, but he turned and landed neatly on the ground. Salii stepped back as the rocks fell around her. She swished her tail.

6.15 K

Orjin said that as a certainty. If that had been the case, Salii would have told him already. She shook her head, looking peeved as she saw him flip. One hand was suddenly supporting him as he held perfectly still, balancing upright. It was an impressive physical feat, but even Orjin couldn’t maintain it for more than a second. Then he lost his balance and the tower of rocks came falling down. So did he, but he turned and landed neatly on the ground. Salii stepped back as the rocks fell around her. She swished her tail.

6.15 K

The man sat on the ground, sighing. Salii sat with him, and he looked at her, attentive, if not quite happy. He was no [King], or ruler in the sense of having a class. Perhaps he should have one, but Orjin of Pomle had no desire to be a leader. The fact that he was one was purely coincidental and had no bearing on how he lived his life. Most of the time, that was.

6.15 K

Salii repeated the bare bones of Flos’ declaration to Orjin. When she had finished, he shook his head.

6.15 K

The [Martial Artist], the warrior, folded his arms. Salii looked exasperated.

6.15 K

Orjin sighed louder. Of course, he’d suspected that would be the case. He thought about refusing, or walking off. Salii couldn’t stop him if he did, but…she was Salii.

6.15 K

Orjin sighed louder. Of course, he’d suspected that would be the case. He thought about refusing, or walking off. Salii couldn’t stop him if he did, but…she was Salii.

6.15 K

No one regulated them. Or at least, no one actively made the people pay taxes or follow any rules. Troublemakers were dealt with. Murder and crime were also not tolerated; Pomle’s warriors would take matters into their own hands. Only two things held any sway over Pomle. That was the tradition of the Strongest, and Salii.

6.15 K

One of those obligations was listening to Salii. No one could quite remember when she’d appeared. It had to be five years ago? At least. But one day she’d shown up and started ordering people about. And they had listened mostly, because she had good ideas. Like how to settle quarrels over bathing. Organizing a place for children to play where adults wouldn’t accidentally intrude. Even convincing a [Mage] to draw some runes of preservation so food could be stored.

6.15 K

Things like that. Orjin hadn’t questioned Salii at first, and she’d gotten him to do any number of tasks he wouldn’t normally, from sorting out troublemakers to quelling monsters. He didn’t mind that; monster fighting was good practice. But sometimes she had requests like these.

6.15 K

He stood up. Salii watched him leap over the collapsed pile of rocks, and run towards a tall plateau of orange-red rock that defined Pomle’s geography. Orjin wasn’t long; he moved fast and before more than two minutes had passed he was running past, with a more formal skirt made of bright, colored cotton, and a loose cape of some kind of animal or monster hide. He still had no clothing on his upper body, though.

6.15 K

Orjin nodded. He walked across the bare, cracked earth with Salii. She was fully clothed and wore shoes; he did not. He was barefoot, but he didn’t feel the heat radiating up from the ground. Nor did he sweat as much as the Drake. The two headed towards a distant spot where a small stand of trees had grown up, and water gathered.

6.15 K

The Strongest of Pomle and the [Secretary] of Pomle set a quick pace at first, but it slowed when it became clear that their definition of ‘quick’ varied. It wasn’t that Salii was out of shape; she had lived in Pomle and that was a harsh lifestyle at times. But Orjin was just too quick. He slowed to a crawl as she huffed and caught up to him, jogging. Orjin waited for Salii to catch her breath and then spoke.

6.15 K

The Strongest of Pomle and the [Secretary] of Pomle set a quick pace at first, but it slowed when it became clear that their definition of ‘quick’ varied. It wasn’t that Salii was out of shape; she had lived in Pomle and that was a harsh lifestyle at times. But Orjin was just too quick. He slowed to a crawl as she huffed and caught up to him, jogging. Orjin waited for Salii to catch her breath and then spoke.

6.15 K

“I have never asked it, Salii, but what brought you to Pomle?”

6.15 K

It had been five years since he’d known her and this was the first question he’d really asked beyond her name and what she did. Salii glanced up at him, surprised. The Drake swished her tail and shrugged. She consulted her little sheet of parchment secured to the clipboard of wood as she spoke. It was one of the things she always carried with her.

6.15 K

Orjin saw them. Two dozen riders, looking for a place to tie up their mounts. And that was just the main group. It looked like a small group of richly-dressed folk—the [King] and [Queen] perhaps, and a son—along with some courtiers. Behind them were a double-row of soldiers riding camels. They were trying to eye the other guests at the watering ground and shot Orjin and Salii a distrustful glance as they approached.

6.15 K

Salii slapped the [Knight] over the head as he jerked back. He tried to grab his sword, but the [Secretary] dealt him two more swift blows to the head with the edge of her clipboard. She was quick, and Orjin stopped to admire her technique. Before the [Knight] could draw his blade or his comrades interfere, Salii was shouting at him.

6.15 K

Salii slapped the [Knight] over the head as he jerked back. He tried to grab his sword, but the [Secretary] dealt him two more swift blows to the head with the edge of her clipboard. She was quick, and Orjin stopped to admire her technique. Before the [Knight] could draw his blade or his comrades interfere, Salii was shouting at him.

6.15 K

The [Knight] at the watering hole jerked his head around. He scowled at Salii.

6.15 K

He pointed at Orjin, who was looking around, surveying the other two camps. Nobles, retainers, servants—they were making a mess as they set up everywhere. He felt disgusted; normally he’d let any caravan go through Pomle and just stay far away, but he had to be here for this? On the other hand he saw what Salii meant. All three nations had brought warriors, escorts, and they would be a hard fight to put down for most of Pomle’s warriors if they started one.

6.15 K

Salii was shouting at the [Knights], waving her clipboard in the leader’s face. He stared at Orjin, glancing at the man’s bare chest and his skirt made of cotton. Orjin thought it was a wonderfully colored thing, but he glanced to one side and saw a group of what might have been nobles in rich silk attire staring at him. Orjin returned the look blankly, and then saw someone push the tent flaps back.

Salii

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